In optical systems involving the generation and controlled radiation of long or continuous pulses of light, such as spectroscopy, or solar simulation, where high intensity, color correct illumination of sensitive working areas is required, such as in fiber optics illumination devices, it is advantageous to have a light source capable of producing the highest possible light flux density. Products utilized in such applications include short arc inert gas lamps, which may also be referred to as arc lamps. At least one short arc lamp includes a sealed chamber containing a gas pressurized to several atmospheres, and an opposed anode and cathode defining an arc gap. A window provides for the transmission of the generated light, and a reflector body may be positioned surrounding the arc gap.
During operation of an arc lamp, the anode and the cathode generate a significant amount of heat. The anode and the cathode are inside the sealed chamber of the arc lamp. As a result, the reflector body is also subjected to high heat during operation of the arc lamp. The operating power of the arc lamp may be limited by the reflector body temperatures. A lower temperature reflector body allows for a higher operating lamp power. Furthermore, the reflector body may crack, and the lamp will fail, when operated at high temperatures over a long period of time.
One existing technique to aid cooling of the reflector body is to directly couple a heat sink to the underside of the reflector body. However, the above technique is unsatisfactory because of the lack of adequate surface area in contact with the heat sink to dissipate heat from the reflector body to the heat sink.
Another existing technique is to add a copper band along the underside of the cathode heat sink to help cool off the reflector body. Alternatively, a thermal heat transfer pad is coupled to one end of the reflector body that is near the anode to facilitate heat dissipation from the reflector body. However, these techniques also suffer from the problem of inadequate surface area in contact with the heat sink to dissipate heat from the reflector body to the heat sink.